In this article we look at how to protect your WordPress website, keeping you and your client’s details and personal information safe.
Are you tired of worrying about cyber threats messing with your WordPress website? Then this is your opportunity to kick them to the curb and take control of your online presence!
In our latest Lunch & Learn session, Jon teamed up with Tammy Tanner, Head of Resources, at Five by Five. Tammy’s expertise and dedication have made her a go-to problem solver in everything technical. Together, they shared insider secrets to help you become a responsible website owner and protect your online presence.
Bots are constantly probing and targeting your website for vulnerabilities. But don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
We want to be instrumental in helping you improve your WordPress website’s speed, security, and reliability. And to say goodbye to cyber threats and data breaches once and for all!
At Five by Five, we build great-looking, high-performing websites, and are known as one of the Gold Coast & Australia’s leading WordPress web design & SEO agencies. We have 16+ years of experience in the web design industry. If you or your business need a new, high-performing digital solution, then contact us today and find out why we have 200+ 5* Google reviews.
World-class hosting for WordPress
Your website needs a place to live, and that’s where hosting comes in.
Think of your website as a house and the hosting like owning the real estate the house is built on – in the digital world.
It’s worth the investment to have a safe and stable home for your website.
Hosting is a service that lets you store your website’s files and data on a server connected to the internet. That way, your website can be accessed by anyone, anytime, anywhere. And you want people to find your website, right?
But not all hosting solutions are created equal. You want a hosting provider that’s reliable, secure, and has your back when things go wrong. You don’t want your site going down whenever you get a little traffic or leave it vulnerable to hackers and cyber-attacks. That’s just asking for trouble.
When it comes to a world-class WordPress hosting solution, there are a few key factors to consider.
- Make sure that the hosting provider offers excellent performance and speed. This is crucial for ensuring that your website loads quickly and efficiently, providing a great user experience and improving search engine rankings
- Choose a hosting provider that takes security seriously and provides robust measures to protect your website from cyber threats and data breaches. This includes SSL certificates, firewalls, malware scanning, and regular backups.
WP Engine
An outstanding hosting provider that we partnered with years ago and highly recommend is WP Engine.
Their fully managed WordPress hosting solution handles the heavy lifting regarding speed, security, and reliability. With automated updates for WordPress core and plugins, as well as daily backups, you can have peace of mind knowing that your site is up-to-date and has a fail-safe in case something goes wrong.
Additionally, WP Engine allows for easy testing of plugins without affecting your live site and monitoring style performance. Overall, their service makes managing a WordPress website much easier and more efficient.
Watch our video for a quick walkthrough and demo that showcases the features and benefits of WP Engine.
What is a DNS?
DNS = Domain Name System
The DNS is a crucial part of the tech stack for any website.
Think of the DNS in the same way as you have your contacts in your phone with their phone numbers. DNS does the same thing, but with website addresses instead of phone numbers for the internet.
When you type in a website address, your computer sends a request to a DNS server to find out the IP address of that website. And once the IP address is found, your computer connects to that website. In the same way, you would find a contact on your phone by calling their telephone number.
But here’s the deal – bots and hackers are always trying to mess with your website. And they use DNS to try and find vulnerabilities in your website’s security.
That’s why it’s crucial to have a strong DNS service and add an extra layer of protection to your website. It’s like having a bouncer at the door of your favourite club to keep the shady characters out. So, get a solid DNS service and keep those online bullies at bay.
Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a top-notch DNS tool that can give your website an extra layer of protection.
- One of the coolest things about Cloudflare is that it can optimise your website content and images to load lightning-fast for users all around the world. It’s like having your own personal race car to deliver your website content at supersonic speeds.
- Another great feature of Cloudflare is its ability to provide faster information retrieval through mirrored copies of your website data. This means that if something goes wrong with your main server, Cloudflare has got your back with backup copies in multiple locations worldwide.
- All traffic is also proxied through Cloudflare, so your identity is protected from malicious attacks. Proxied means that the web traffic is being routed through another server to protect your identity.
- Plus, you get access to analytics that can help you better manage your website and keep it running smoothly.
- Cloudflare also offers SSL certificates for encryption, preventing any sneaky attacks and interceptions. SSL certificates help ensure that when you visit a website and enter personal information, that information is protected and can’t be stolen by hackers or other malicious actors.
- You can also use its compression tool to make your scripts and images smaller and faster so your website loads like lightning.
So if you want to keep your website safe and speedy, Cloudflare is the way to go.
What should a responsible website owner be doing regularly to ensure good website housekeeping?
It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to some good housekeeping so you can be a responsible website owner!
By prioritising these tasks on a month-to-month basis, you can maintain the health and security of your website and keep it running smoothly for your visitors.
- It’s important to regularly review user roles and limit access to your website and tools. Be sure to know who has access and what level of access they have. Creating different user roles, such as editor or administrator, can help limit the damage a user can do if their account is compromised. Regularly review user roles and ensure they are appropriate for each individual’s responsibilities.
- Passwords can be a pain to remember, but using strong, unique passwords for all user accounts is essential. And enable two-factor authentication for that extra layer of security. Update passwords regularly and use a password management tool like LastPass to track them.
- Keeping your website healthy requires regular attention. You must ensure your website software is always up-to-date and that any unnecessary plugins or themes are removed. Install plugins only from reputable vendors and check for social proof, such as the number of active installations.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Keep an eye on your website for issues or vulnerabilities and nip them in the bud. Take action now to protect and maintain your website like a boss!
If you need any help or have any questions, feel free to contact our team at Five by Five. We’re here to help you become a responsible website owner and protect your online presence.
